Traffic relief to come for Apapa port commuters..As NPA takes over reconstruction of roads

Per Second News----There's some good news for commuters who make the daily drive to Apapa using the Oshodi/Apapa expressway to Wharf.  The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said it would raise N4.3 billion to reconstruct access roads around Apapa Port as port operators withdrew services over poor infrastructure.

The Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman, told a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos on Monday that NPA would provide N1.8 billion while Dangote Group and Flour Mills would provide N2.5 billion.

“We have received proposal for Corporate Social Responsibility of N2.5 billion from Dangote Group and Flour Mills for the full reconstruction of port roads.

“The reconstruction entails full drainage service and the total cost of the Apapa port access roads project is N4.3 billion.

“The two entities are willing to provide N2.5 billion, while NPA will pay the remaining N1.8 billion to ensure that the roads are done,” Usman said.

She said that the Federal Ministry of Works would request the approval of Federal Executive Council to obtain the necessary approvals for NPA to embark of the project.

Usman said the country’s ports authority has asked the Federal Ministry of Works to provide the final engineering design and costing to enable it embark on reconstruction of the Creek road and Liverpool road later this year.

“I feel concerned about the deplorable state of these roads and I communicated at a meeting with the minister that we are willing to fund these roads irrespective of which agency of government is doing it, she said.

Usman said that the management of NPA would make provision for an annual budget for the reconstruction of the roads.

She urged the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently complete the reconstruction of Coconut/Mile 2 road in Lagos.

Usman said that NPA would seek permission of the Federal Ministry of Works to complete the holding bay under the Public Private Partnership arrangement.

According to the NPA boss, the congestion around Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports was due to lack of an effective holding bay, trailer parks and non-reconstruction of ports roads in Lagos.

 The NPA boss said that the reconstruction would begin within one month, adding that she would ensure speedy completion of the project.

Usman commended the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, for dialoging with port operators who had protested poor infrastructure at the port.

Going by operators’ estimates, investments in the Apapa and Tin Can ports are worth over $650 billion but because of the deplorable condition of Oshodi-Apapa Road, popularly known as Wharf Road, these investments have been at risk.

Such investments, include banks, eateries, hotels and other terminals. For instance, Unity Bank which used to have four branches now has two; Ecobank with eight branches, cut down its branches to two. Eateries like Tetrazini, Mr Biggs, Kingstone Joe have closed down. Major hotels like Rockview, Excelsior and many others are groaning for lack of patronage as most of their rooms are empty. A room rate which used to be between N25,000 can now be negotiated to between N8,000 and N10,000, Per Second News gathered.